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Trans-Siberian Orchestra is touring a different rock opera for the first time in 13 years.

The group will perform "The Lost Christmas Eve" during two shows Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township. Performances start at 3 and 7:30 p.m.

The progressive rock band revitalized the rock opera genre, selling more than 8 million albums worldwide and performing in more than 150 cities. Popularity of its album "Christmas Eve and Other Stories," released in 1996, carried them through more than a decade of tour dates, said creator and producer Paul O'Neill. The album is the first installment of the Christmas rock opera trilogy he penned.

"We never intended to tour 'Christmas Eve and Other Stories' for 13 years in a row," he said. "It just kind of happened."

The second installment, "The Christmas Attic," followed in 1998, and "The Lost Christmas Eve" was released in 2004. O'Neill decided to change things up for the current tour by bringing a new tale to the stage.

"The Lost Christmas Eve" takes the audience along on a billionaire banker's soul-searching journey as he visits a rundown hotel, an old toy store, a blues bar and more during a single Christmas Eve in New York City. The man, who abandoned his newborn decades earlier for "the shallowest of reasons," finds meaning in the places he visits during his trudge home, O'Neill said.

"(It's) a story of hope and redemption. This story just seems perfect for the time," he said. "One of my favorite things about Christmas Eve is it offers people the opportunity to undo mistakes that they never thought they could undo."

The musical tale features elements of rock, classical, folk and rhythm and blues, among other musical genres. One of the band's best known hits, "Wizards in Winter," appears, as well as crowd-pleasers like "Christmas Nights in Blue" and "Siberian Sleigh Ride."

The band also brings some new tricks to the stage - called flight deck by O'Neill and company - to complement its signature light and laser stage show. Each year, they brainstorm ideas to keep the show fresh.

"Lots of new toys on the flight deck, and lots of new special effects," he said. "It's fun writing (the shows), it's fun recording them, but as a band it's never really real until you get to perform it in front of a live audience."

Wilkes-Barre is one of the band's favorite places to perform, thanks to the way the area embraced them when they first started playing here, O'Neill said. He recalled a show in November 2006 when a water main break left the arena without usable water. Even the threat of portable toilets couldn't keep the audience away.

The crowd will also experience songs from the band's newest release, "Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)." The five-song EP, released in October, includes the instrumental "Winter Palace," and "Fireflies," which incorporates the classical stylings of composer Antonio Vivaldi's "Winter" with a rock edge. Each song comes with poetry that sets up the songs, O'Neill said.

The Wilkes-Barre shows will also include songs from the group's debut album and rock opera catalogue.

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